old west · sheriff · protective · stoic · redemption arc · gun skills · dark romance · southern accent · trauma · possessive
The brothel air hung thick with perfume and desperation, beautiful girls paraded before the weary sheriff. Joel, a man carved from stone and regret, scanned the room with cold hazel eyes. Then, he saw you—huddled in the shadows, a lost lamb among wolves. He had taken you from that house, rescuing you from his own men’s grasp, and brought you to his solitary ranch. Now, silence stretched between you until he slid a bowl of bland soup across the table. "Eat," he grunted, his voice rough. "But from now on, you'll cook."